Combined sealing ring and pour-out fitment



1956 R. F. DE BROCK COMBINED SEALING RING AND POUROUT FITMENT Filed Aug. 31, 1953 glvwem bo'r/ Xazmer]? DE'BKOCK United States Patent Q COMBINED SEALING RING AND POUR-OUT FITMENT Rozahert F, De Brock, Maumee, Ohio, assignor to Givens- Illinois Glass Company, a corporation of Ulric Application August 31, 1953, Serial No. 377,334 Claims. (Cl. 215-40) The present invention is a combined sealing ring and pour-out fitment designed both for use in cooperation with a closure to seal a bottle or like container and separately from the closure to function as a pouring fitment or lip.

An object of my invention is the provision of a fitment of the above character formed from polyethylene or material of like characteristics as to flexibility and ability to function as a sealing ring and so forming same that it will clearly cut off liquid flow when desired and prevent dripping of the liquid from the rim of the bottle neck or downward flow over the exterior neck surface, as is so frequently experienced with ordinary containers.

Other objects will be in part apparent and in part pointed out hereinafter.

In the accompanying drawings:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary sectional view showing my invention applied to the neck of a bottle;

Fig. 2 is a plan view; and

Fig. 3 is an enlarged sectional view taken along the line 33 of Fig. 2.

My invention, as indicated above, performs a dual function in that it avoids the need for lining bottle caps with sealing disks, or rings, in the conventional manner and secondly greatly improves pouring or dispensing of liquid contents from bottles and such containers. It also operates effectively to cut off shartly and completely prevent, flow of any of the liquid downwardly over the bottle or jar neck exterior, incident to upright positioning of the container following a pouring or dispensing operation.

The fitment comprising my invention is separably snapped over the finish or lip portion of the bottle B so that it lies between said lip and top portion of the closure C. Since it is formed of polyethylene or similar material, the fitment functions effectively as a primary seal.

The bottle B includes an exteriorly screw-threaded neck portion terminating at its upper end in a flat annular rim 11, the outer margin of which merges with an external cylindrical surface 12. Contiguous with the lower margin of this surface 12 is an annular downwardly and inwardly inclined shoulder 13 designed for holding engagement with the closure C, as will be explained hereinafter. The inner margin of the rim 11 is connected to an inwardly declined annular surface 14 by means of a short radius 15, said surface 14 in turn merging with the interior surface of the neck opening through a relatively long radius 16.

The fitment 17 comprises an annular upper wall 18 providing a continuous flat surface lying in a plane normal to the axis of the fitment. A depending attaching skirt 19 is molded integrally with said wall and is disposed at right angles to the latter. These two elements merge at a sharp annular corner 20 which provides a knife-like cut-off designed to effectively terminate flow of liquid when desired and to prevent dripping of any liquid from or running of same downwardly over the exterior of the fitment.

The depending attaching skirt fits snugly against the cylindrical outer surface 12 and near its lower margin is provided with an internal projection 21 for holding engagement with the shoulder 13. Preferably this projection is an annular bead including an upwardly inwardly tapering guiding surface 22 which aids in the initial application of the fitment to the container.

The upper side 23 of this bead is reversely tapered, the degree of taper in relation to the axis of the bottle neck being slightly greater than that of the shoulder 13 and the distance between the point of juncture of the upper side of the head with the skirt proper and the lower side of the annular wall 18 being slightly less than the transverse width of the cylindrical surface 12. By reason of these relative dimensions the skirt is placed under sufficient axial tension incident to application of the fitment to the bottle, that a leak-proof contact is established between the two elements.

An internal annular fiange 24 is integrally molded with the inner margin of the aforementioned upper wall 18. This flange includes an annular inwardly and downwardly tapered section 25 and depending annular section 26, the latter being substantially concentric with the skirt 19. A major lower portion of that surface 27 of the flange facing the axis of the fitment is curved downwardly and inwardly and thence downwardly and outwardly to a point of merger with the opposite surface of the flange. it is to be understood that some slight revision of the specific contour of the flange surface in contact with the glass may be necessary to compensate for changes in the precise shape of the glass surface in this area. The surface for contact with the liquid being dispensed will not vary appreciably from that illustrated herein.

Other modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

l. A combined sealing ring and pour-out fitment for bottles and like containers, said ring being of unitary construction and formed of resilient material and comprising an annular upper wall providing a continuous flat top surface lying in a plane normal to the axis of the ring, an annular depending attaching skirt formed integral with the outer periphery of said wall and together with the latter providing a sharp circumferential corner at the point of juncture of their exterior surfaces, an annular internal flange directed inwardly and downwardly from the inner periphery of said wall, said flange having a major lower portion of that surface facing the axis of the ring curved generally downwardly and inwardly and thence downwardly and outwardly to a point of merger with that surface of the flange which faces radially outward.

2. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein a retaining projection is formed internally of the attaching skirt.

3. The combination defined in claim 1 wherein a continuous retaining bead is formed internally of the skirt, said bead providing an upwardly inwardly facing shoulder in proximity to the lower margin of the skirt.

4. In combination, a bottle having a neck portion defining an axial filling and discharge opening, said neck portion including a circumferential outwardly facing rim having a surface disposed in a plane normal to the axis of the neck, an external cylindrical surface having a lower margin, an annular inwardly inclined shoulder contiguous to said margin and an annular inwardly inclined and curved surface merging with the inner margin of the rim, a linerless closure attachable to the neck portion, a resilient combined sealing ring and pour-out greener fitment adapted to be snapped over the rim and into snug engagement with said surfaces of the neck in proximity to the rim, said ring comprising an annular upper Wall lying against the rim of the neck, an attaching skirt depending from the periphery of said wall, said wall and skirt providing at their juncture a sharp circumferential corner to function as a cut-oft for liquid flow, a bead formed internally of the skirt for holding engagement with said inclined shoulder and an annular internal flange depending from the inner margin of said upper wall and snugly engaging the aforementioned inner surface of the neck portion, a major lower portion of that surface of the annular internal flange facing the axis of the neck opening being curved generally downwardly and inwardly and thence downwardly and outwardly to a point of merger with that surface of the flange in contact with the neck of the container.

5. The combination defined in claim 4 wherein the 4 upper margin of the bead of the attaching skirt and the upper wall of the fitment are spaced apart a distance slightly less than the width of said external cylindrical surface of the bottle neck whereby to place the skirt under sufiicient axial tension to securly hold the fitment and bottle assembled independently of the closure.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 302,268 Lothrop July 22, 1884 591,778 Donahue Oct. 12, 1897 599,460 Thomas Feb. 22, 1898 1,178,982 Wompey Apr. 11, 1916 2,581,647 Genovese Jan. 8, 1952 FOREIGN PATENTS 788,855 France Aug. 5, 1935 

